This week Skype has been rolling out a beta of a feature called Video Messages to users. Basically you can send video messages to contacts that are up to three minutes in length. The internet has had hints of this feature since early December, so you’re stoked to try it out on your Windows Phone right? Nope. No love from Skype for any Windows users – desktop or phone.

In a bizarre move by a Microsoft-owned Skype, Video Messages is initially only available for iOS, Android, and Mac users. That’s right, there isn’t a way for you to create or playback Video Messages from the Skype client for Windows Phone or Windows 8. You can receive those messages, but it’s just a link to play it back online.

Video Messages is still an early beta, but it’s disappointing to not get to try it on out inside the Microsoft ecosystem. Instead, I had to fire up my Instagram machine iPhone 4 to check it out. Sure enough, you’ve got the option to Video Message alongside the options for video calls, voice calls, or sending photos.

Sure, Skype is basically a company within a company, but it’s a bit of a letdown to not see it available to the operating systems of that company it is a part of.

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Yeah... 6 months to a year from now? Not good enough. Somebody obviosuly needs to get canned at Microsoft. WP8 were supposed to have apps like Pandora and other. Where are they? Xbox Music is horrible. I could go on and on...
Very frustrated... I had high hopes for Microsoft and all these new products. The amount of support after these new products were release is horrible.

Same here,
I was one of the first Windows 7 users. A long time I accepted the lack of apps, the lack of support, the lack of features. But now they are realy screwing up big time.
The real popular apps are just not availeble on Windows Phone... I refuse to buy a Windows Phone 8 unless they realy change the platform, add essential stuff to WP8, add propper support, devs, apps, features.
My contract ends in august, then i can choose a new phone, if MS does not change its ways, im back to the iPhone again, as that is the only proper alternative to WP.

And that is reassuring how? If Windows Phone is to survive, let alone compete, they have to do better than this. Right now, they are just sending the message that Windows Phone users just don't matter and if you want the real cool stuff, you need to switch to iPhone or Android.

Totally agree, I'm switching to iPhone 5 at the end of the month from 2x Lumia 800. The lack of apps is horrible, the quality of the apps are just pathetic (I was a WP developer as well, 99,99% of the apps don't have live thumnail, nor use a proper color on thumbnail which lead to horrible, bad looking and bad quality apps), skype is still poor on both WP 7 & 8, and tons of apps are completely missing. I'm done with them.

Everyday, i am more disappointed with MS. Im not sure if they are holding back for a big unveal in their new update or what, but to not have Skype as one of your primary factors for your wp8 you are trying to get market share with is just a travesty. Skype should not be used as a seperate app, it needs ot be a part of the whole OS.

Whenever this accouncment for 8.1, my guess is there will nto be anything significant and a notification center will not be included as well. That is not be pessemistic, that is just being realistic. Stumbling out of the block will certainly continue for MS.

Honestly i dont see it, i think notification center is one of the most demanded things for the OS and i just dont think it will be in the 8.1 update if there is such a thing.

Everytime thsi is brought up, everybody references the "we ran out of time" comment made by MS and then stretch that into saying that the notificaiton center is imminent and will be ready in the next update. All of this is wishful thinking just like the people that argued "there is no way MS will leave the early adopters behind and not update existing handselts to wp8 OS" again wishful thinking and i never believed they would update to wp8 and that was based on nothing and just my gut feeling. Look what happened and 7.8, seems like a mess to me.

Wp8 brings a lot to the table with the phones and OS, but the details are not there and the OS isn't as deep as it could be. There is so much they can do to make this OS so unique and at the same time very deep, but they failed to do that so far. I would of thought wp7 gave them some time to get things right on wp8, but to me, wp8 is still unfinished. The OS is still new excuse is wearing thin, especially when wp7 was a beta test all along.

notification center! notification center!...OMG where is the notification center?!?!

Since that BB10 garbage, and the subsequent article here about what WP "needs" this has QUICKLY turned into the most cried about, least needed thing in all the WP universe.
Someone made a very good point about the WP "notification center"... when most of us turn on our phones, and slide up the lock screen *BAM* there's the WP "notification center".
Lose the ridiculous need to app your way through a device... the need to open, open, open something else to get to things and you'll understand why it's not nearly as necessary as you think.
And hopefully the more you see the other OS's copying WP (yes it's already being done) maybe you'll feel less "left out" by dumb shit.

Its like they really, really wanted to be sure every last consumer out there in the mobile market was ablsolutely clear that owning a WP means always getting the apps last - even apps from MS.
Message delivered loud and clear.

That's not a bad idea. Heck I don't even think I care about the feature mentioned in this article. But reading that iOS, Android, and EVEN Mac users get it before WP8 and Windows PC makes me incredibly mad and baffled. If I just stop reading these articles maybe I'll just be happy and appreciate my WP8/W8 devices for what they are.

Those are my sentiments as well. This is no big deal. MS may well bring something more superior than what iOS or anyone will currently get for all we know. But like you said, beta them then give Windows folks the "somewhat" bug free version.

+1000
And also, were better to test a feature to see if you have the infrastructure in place to support it than iOS n Android. Also, its a MS product, WP will have a kick ass version with a unique twist.

Fans have been waiting for Microsoft to "bring something more superior than what iOS or anyone" else has since the first version of iOS made Windows Mobile look like crap. I wouldn't advise that anyone hold their breath.

Microsoft corporate is so dysfunctional. I've been a Ballmer supporter for a long time but maybe it is time for someone else to be in charge. Someone who can get the divisions to work together and be team players.

Not to sound TOO dramatic, but the immediate word I saw when reading this was "appalling." I honestly wouldn't ever use that feature, and I think it is silly, but that Microsoft would buy Skype, then not leverage it AT ALL is just appalling. It's bad enoguh that it's not in Windows Phone, but not Windows 8 or RT either?

I feel the need to honestly ask: What has the $8 billion+ purchase of Skype given Microsoft over the past 2 years or so, ANYTHING?

It was for Lync & replace messenger. As a MS partner we get news letters that talk about this kind of stuff. I haven't had time to play with Lync 2013 and the app is still 2010 but I am expecting the next Lync app to be a lot like Skype.

We are past that already and talk around that have died off almost year ago.
It should have happened when Nokia was down and making a loss. Now it seems like Nokia will keep the 8 billion business of NSN that pretty much solifies that there's no plans to sell the company.
People tend to forget that Nokia has slighty more people working for them than Microsoft. It's not exactly what a software company wants.

Agree. They would have been so much better with Android as they could have actually had the freedom with the supported SoC's and implement TRUE 41MP PureView ages ago.
It's sad that they need their killed OS to out hardware innovations out first.

yeah, so much better with android like what happened when Nokia invested a huge amount of cash in QT and several other open source initiatives to essentially receive NOTHING in return... or you think Nokia decided to go Windows after being champions of practically anything open because of just Elop?

Honestly its easier to beta test a service on smaller/more consistent user base (why testing on mac and IOS makes sense since there is very little customization on mac and non on IOS, so you know its not the graphics card or something that's messing it up)

Agree, to an extent. I think it makes sense to use iOS and Android OS users as beta testers - there hare hundreds of millions of those users and the feedback will be valuable.

Still puzzling though that Windows (PC) users were excluded; but I still think that they will definitely get substantial and valuable feedback from iOS and Android users simply because there are so many of them.

Note: I use a Lumia as my daily driver...I don't mind one bit that Microsoft is using other platforms to beta test as long as when the results are in, the use it to ensure perfection on WP.

This is such a goddamn joke.. Pathetic Microsoft..Absolutely pathetic. I can bet $100 that BB will get this before WP.. Microsoft just needs to sell WP to Nokia and go away since Nokia is the only one who gives even a slightest crap about the OS.
WP is slowly becoming a laughingstock of smartphones OSes. Not only doesn't WP get this feature, but Skype in general is worthless on WP.

Agreed. The incompetence of some of this Microsoft executives is appalling. And the fact that they allow a Microsoft company to essentially perpetuate the idea that if you want to have good, cutting edge features you need to be on a different platform is beyond unacceptable. No self respecting CEO would allow so much incompetence.

There really isn't a big deal on this, this is just a marketing strategy because they are trying to compete with snapchat and since that is only IOS and android they have to target them first and they want to see first how well it does and I guarantee windows phone will get this when it is out of beta

damn microsoft, dropped the ball once again. this sucks. im 100% invested in microsoft. I got my 3 roommates into windows phone. but everyday its more and more sad news, and i have been with windows phone since 2010 with the hd7. back in the day microsoft used to have events all over the us with parties and special prizes, hell i even won an htc titan. but man things havent changed much since then. i love my lumia 920, but other platforms are starting to look better, and i dont want to have to switch to lagdroid or crapple, i want wp8 to succeed with better apps and better support from microsoft smh. so much damn potential with the revoluitionary phone, but we cant even get a skype update along with everyone else grrrr

Big deal. It's a beta feature, let them work it out on iOS and Android. They also need it there first as there's more competition for Skype/MS on those OS's.
I'm sure it won't be long before it's on Windows & WP. A matter of days/week as opposed to months.
I don't get all the frustration here, you made the choice to go with WP, you must have known about the app gap and that it wasn't going to be fixed overnight. But for the much cleaner and easier to use OS, such a trade-off is worthwhile and the rewards will pay off once the apps start to flow at a similar pace to iOS/Android - which I reckon will start to happen in mid-summer. WP is taking off, but it's still tiny in comparison to iOS/Anroid so isn't going to get more momentum til then, any moaning before then I find childish.

Skype's beta features take much longer than weeks or months. It takes a year in most cases. And this is not a case of whether we knew there will be a price gap. This is a case of Microsoft buying a company and then letting their own part of their own company completely forget about their own product. Especially considering that WP version of Skype is still in a pathetic state with no end in sight.
How much longer are you willing to sit and wait for any kind of useful apps to arrive to WP? Brushing things off like that will only prolong the wait. Skype is part of Microsoft now and WP is Microsoft's product, this is why it's such a big deal.

Has no one here ever picked up a book on Business economics, ever? This is THE best business move to start with. The revenue generation and profit maximization by feeding a beta to iOS users out weighs against good will from less than 3% or consumers. This is the money Microsoft can now afford to "maybe" improve Windows Phone. As far as Microsoft goes, WP is a painful appendix to say the least. Its giving no return in more than 2 yrs and instead Nokia and Microsoft are pumping money day in day out. They rather generate revenue from somewhere, if it means by serving the competition first so be it. What do we do after downloading betas? Go and look at reviews Skype team has got on Marketplace. WP crowd is sometimes illiterate to such an extent that they refuse to understand meaning of beta software!

The best word for this is embarrassing. It is embarrassing that SKYPE and PHOTOSYNTH are both owned by Microsoft and niether are on Windows Phone 8 (Skype = crappy beta) and both get feature updates on competing platforms.

Part of me wants to grab a Galaxy S4 when it comes out and it won't be me leaving Microsoft, it'll be Microsoft abandoning me. I've never owned a smartphone that wasn't powered by Microsoft software and I even had PocketPC before that, but at some point, I'll get fed up.

Honestly, what made move to WP is Nokia! Nokia is working so hard and like the comments I read Nokia is running MS because Ms are so lazy! The problem with WP8 is I love it but I'm losing this love by the bad news from MS! Seriously, I respect Nokia for its hard work and if MS WILL NOT SUPPORT ITS PLATFORM then I wish for Nokia to move to Android and I'll be jumping ships with Nokia! Much love to Nokia which is trying to stand up while MS is breaking Nokia

I disagree no way for Nokia to go back to simbian because its rip! If Nokia is going to jump ships it will go to android and will compete with Samsung trust me! But I like MS but come on work hard before w ditch WP

As long as the jackass Steve Ballmer is in charge this will keep happening. You hear him speak and it shocks you how just an incompitent moron could lead a conglomorate like Microsoft. He' just not stable enough. Microsoft needs a cool and calm head on its shoulders. Ballmer is the exact opposite.

I know people don't want to hear this. First off, I am a huge Windows and Windows Phone supporter, but this may be it for me. I'm tired of giving them my money so they can spend it on getting their products out to the people who didn't give them their money. This is a slap in the face and a disgusting gesture to their loyal consumers.

Possibly, but that won't please the type of idiots who are complaining here. Having things part of, and built into the OS isn't good enough. They're more worried about a useless app-count competition.
They want to swipe> swipe> scroll> scroll open> log-in> USE an app to feel like they are doing something.
Being able to simply DO something isn't good enough for the ignorant.

this is exactly what i was talking about in the xbox games post. what the F*&^ is MS thinking???? Ballmer needs to get his head out of his @#$ and get this fixed. the fact that they own skype and we are still getting the shaft with their own mobile os is simply unacceptable. i'm really starting to think that i was an idiot to switch to all things MS. i have a lumia 920, xbox 360, 2 win 8 pc's and a surface rt. i love the possibilities of the ecosystem but this crap is a true sign of how MS really feels about us. we should start bombarding all of their twitter and social accounts with the things we want. its time to stop playing nice and start demanding they listen. i have supported the new systems to every one i know and am starting to feel like a total fool for believing that maybe this time would be different than zune. DEMAND WHAT YOU WANT!

Microsoft is, at this point, a laughingstock. GREAT OS... too bad they can't execute any other of the 100 things they need to do to stay relevant. They just look like a bunch of clowns trying to cram into a small car.

Same here... i really do prefer Windows Phone and the metro ui however this is just getting silly.

Microsoft has tons of potential to build a great ecosystem but it seems like they don't finish what they set out to do. An example, they launched Outlook.com & revamped SkyDrive in July 2012 yet their calendar service still remains unchanged. They need to get their act together.

its not trite at all. people are simply tired of having MS show so much support for everyone but the people who are trying to be loyal customers. it's not simply the feature addition, it's yet another blow to the face for WP users.

You think it's trite when the parent company of your phone's OS releases functionality for every phone except their own? How would you feel if your mom baked cookies for everyone in your neighborhood and told you not to come? If we're being trite, you're being naive and apologetic.

I think Sam Sabri actually does a good job at generating clicks for WPCentral by sensationalizing news by writing it with the language that hits many bones. Well done Sam! ;)
However, with true journalism in heart, do try and elaborate on what you think the economic reasons may be behind such decisions from a firm. Hint: Revenues. The same way WPCentral is generating by clicks on your articles.

Seriously?
How is Windows release anything similar to what you have been moaning about?
Your pain is it's not on your phone. Do you realise that Windows 8 itself now has TWO freaking apps? Desktop and Metro app? Updating it for Windows = updating 2 versions.
Your language itself talks bundles about you. I am not very sure I even want to have a dialogue with you as you make me feel like I am iMore not WPCentral.

Photosynth anyone? Microsoft is NATORIOUS for its fragmented corporate structure that wont allow divisions to comunicate and work togeather. Its depressing, but not unexpected. Photosynth came out for iPhone almost a year before WP7, and its STILL not out for WP8. How does a corporation work like this?

Mmmm, not usually one to join the whining but this does seem really outrageous. Not available for Windows but available for Mac? Last time I checked Windows users still vastly outnumbered Mac users. Not gonna pretend that this will drive me into the arms of the competition but increasingly I worry that I won't have a choice if this kind of crap continues. It's more than 6 months since they touted unmatched skype capabilities on WP8 and we still don't even have an app that works? If the only real alternatives weren't so unappealing this might have pushed me over the edge. It has pushed me a lot closer and, frankly, a good old dumbphone looks pretty good right now.

Wow - just looked at all of these comments. So many people and we all feel the same way. MS looks at WP8 like every other developer. Small user base, difficult to develop for, inferior equipment, lack of carrier support, etc... As soon as Nokia spends the $ MS have them, I hope the make an Android - I'd follow them, even at the thought of going to the "do no good" ecosystem. The Yankees are on TV every weekend - because people want it. The Superbowl commands 3million dollar commercials because people watch. Nobody (including MS) develops for WP8 because nobody is on it. Man I feel like a sucker!

This is getting far beyond ridiculous. Here they had a great change to bring new Skype features to their own ecosystems first but they leave us out completely. Thank god I chose Nokia's product as they clearly make the biggest effort to actually improve things.

A representative of the company said the reason why this has not yet been released to the WP community is because there is not enough user base. Once they see enough end users, they will release it.
Also, pigs can fly.

I seem to remember MS promising that WP8 would have "deep" Skype integration, meaning you could use it to call and message without having to open the app. What happened to that?

The powers that be at MS do seem to be trying to screw over the divisions within the company. If its not the games lot releasing Xbox Live games on iOS, it's nonsense like this. Windows phone is a great platform, but considering how little support MS are giving it beyond chucking dollars at ad campaigns, I'm surprised it's been as successful as it has('nt).

Im really considering selling my Lumia 820 and getting the xperia Z when it is released, this is just complete crap. Windows Phone should have been first, not Android or iOS. They have neglected everything on Windows Phone, including their Facebook app and i wont be surprised to see WP8 fail again.

Its not about being updated. No new features have been added to it since v2.5 which was released on 24th May 2012, we're coming up to one year with no new features.
The Skype app is complete rubbish, very buggy, the PDF app is a complete joke, notifications are a joke.
Microsoft keep adding fuel to the fire, if they don't give a crap for their own platform or customers, how do they expect others to, whether BBC, Google, Viber, Whatsapp, thats why these apps do not exist on the platform, thats why the ones that do are mostly rubbish.
If they keep doing this, they will see even loyal customers like me move on.

Interesting that this isn't even on the Windows desktop edition. The desktop client is built using a C++ library and compiler called Qt which allows you to write once and compile to all (Windows, OSX, Linux) in one go. This should be the same.

He just wants to be able to use the video message feature thats not on WP & be able to use more popular apps. Joe said that once WP has more people using it and becomes profitable, he'll start caring about adding more apps.
Also, Bigfoot is real.

Because we are dreamers man.... WE HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY WINDOWS PHONE WONT BE SHAFTED BY EVERY DEVELOPER FOR LACK OF USER BASE THAT WILL IN TURN HAVE THEM CREATE APPLICATIONS FOR OUR PLATFORMS AS IF THEY WERE IPHONE AND ANDROID, WE HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY MS WILL BELIEVE IN WHAT THEY START AND SEE IT THROUGH TO THE END AND STOP LEAVING US HALF ASSED CREATIONS THAT IF DONE PROPERLY WOULD BE A DELIGHT TO OWN AND USE. THAT DREAM MY FRIEND IS WP AND ALTHOUGH MS SEEMS TO BE GIVING ME A BIG OL' F U RIGHT NOW I WANT IT TO BE BETTER BECAUSE I KNOW IF DONE BETTER THEN IT WOULD BE TOP!

LOL that is funny. Reading $hit like this making me want to chose an alternative platform, but just thinking of the grid base femine handet set that is the iPhone that I left a year ago gives me goose bumps to look back on. Droid is just out of the question trojan riddled platform loaded with bloatware and google selling your movements to whoever is for the birds. "You went to a gentleman's club 3 months a new one just opened up in your area here is the promotion" Stuff like that can make you think you are living in the truman show.
This is truely disappointing though and all it means is that top exacts don't really use their products they make and are clueless when it comes to consumer needs. How about a little effing faith in the crap you sale Nokia does a better job at supporting your platform MS! If a Surface phone came out though this I think would change quick, you don't see this sort of thing happening on the Xbox...

I've been using windows mobile since I stopped using the Sidekick 2, used MDA, tmobile Wing, HTC Touch Pro 2, HD 7 and currently using Titan on T-Mobile. I'm saying all this because for the first time I'm really thinking of getting an Android phone because of all the missteps of Microsoft or lack of effort. If you add the lack of a high end wp8 device on t-mobile(and please don't tell me to go to ATT because I pay $98 after taxes for 2 lines with unlimited everything including international text or about the 8X) then I've every excuse to do so.

Waiting to see if Microsoft will step up their game and also Nokia stop the exclusive deals with ATT in the fall or will get the then current Nexus phone. This is coming from a guy who was waiting for the next Xbox so that I'll stop using my PS 3 because I believed in the 3 screen bs but now not so much.

App is definitely important and Microsoft is not doing anything about it. I don't know how many people saw my phone, really like it then ask me if there trivial apps like Pandora, you name it? Microsoft was late to the market but they brought a unique UI and it is time to bring the big name apps. And fix Xbox music and video.

MS is like a chicken with its head cut off, they really haven't got a clue IMO. This is their second reset of the mobile OS & they are messing up again. MS has no control over 3rd party developers but at the bare minimum they should make sure their own products are better, or at parity, with their products on competing platforms. People can continue to say they don't care about this feature or that app because they don't use it, but it doesn't change the fact that many do & it's important to have them in the ecosystem.

I know, we are all tired of waiting and not sure why they chose to release the APP for iOS and Android but I say let's not throw our phones in the trash just yet. HOPEFULLY they annouce something, anything at MWC.

Why does anyone care that WP users aren't included in a BETA? For all we know, the beta only applies to these devices because the feature will eventually be baked into Windows OSs, which would require a different branch of development. Everyone needs to cool it...